NILES — Every night before she sleeps, Renee Burrington’s mind replays the phone call she had with her father when she learned that her sister, Carla Jean Lewis, had been fatally shot Aug. 17, 2017.

She awakes wishing it were all just a bad dream, but it is her reality, she told the court Thursday afternoon at the Berrien County Courthouse in St. Joseph.

Burrington was one of four family members to speak Thursday during the sentencing of the man convicted in Carla’s death: John Benton Lewis.

After a two-week trial in February, a jury found Lewis guilty of first-degree murder and manufacturing a controlled substance.

On Thursday, presiding Judge Gordon Hosbein sentenced Lewis to serve life in prison without the possibility of parole and 590 days in jail for the manufacturing charge.

Throughout the trial, testimony presented by witnesses and evidence shared by police and investigators revealed Lewis had been living a double life. He had been having multiple affairs, some which were sparked by Lewis’ involvement with the Sevenleaves Compassion Club where he met the women. Evidence also indicated that Lewis might have been plotting to murder Carla, and shortly before her death, multiple searches for a gun were found on a computer taken from the couple’s home.

Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Jerry Vigansky said in his closing statement to the jury that Carla’s life insurance policy would have given Lewis the ability to fund his lifestyle of drugs and sex.

Before his sentence Thursday, Assistant Public Defender Jolene Weiner-Vatter said Lewis maintained his innocence and that he stated “adamantly” that the killers remain in the community.

Lewis told police that two unidentified men broke into their home at 1429 Lawndale to rob the couple. He said that he and Carla had been moving marijuana plants in the basement grow room, when the men opened fire on them. After the shooting, John said the suspects fled in Carla’s car.

“Mr. Lewis loves and loved Carla Lewis,” Weiner-Vatter said. “For 13 years, she was his best friend. He cooked for her. He cleaned for her. He loved her.”

Authorities have yet to find the weapon used in the murder.

At the advisement of his attorney, Lewis made no comments when given the opportunity to speak.

For his part, Vigansky said the judge was sentencing Lewis to what he truly deserved for executing Carla.

Carla’s family members echoed this sentiment as they spoke.

“Carla loved you every day, while you led your con life, smoking and selling pot and having sex with girls, some young enough to be your daughter,” Renee said. “She owned the house, owned your truck and gave you the startup money to see the marijuana shop through on a trial basis.”

She said time would never heal how much she missed her sister.

“No more birthday parties, shopping trips, pool days, holidays or weekends with her ever again,” Renee said.

Carla’s brother-in-law, Len Burrington, said he hoped Lewis lives a long life “rotting” in prison so that he would have plenty of time to think about what he had done.

“Today is the day you pay for your arrogance and cowardly, evil deeds,” Burrington said.

Burrington said the trial had shown that Lewis’ true passions were not for his wife, but rather for his shop, his money, and his infamously decked out truck that featured marijuana decals. Burrington said Lewis could have “manned up” and taken responsibility for the crime to spare the family the details of his double life.

“You didn’t deserve Carla’s love, care and affection,” Burrington said. “You took a mother from her children. A daughter from her mom and dad and took Carla from her sister, as well as her grandchildren, nieces and nephews.”

Now, he said, Lewis would pay.

“Short story, Karma’s a b****,” he said. “May you burn in Hell.”

Carla’s daughters Danielle Damico and Christy Pruett also addressed the court.

Damico described the pain of telling her children that their grandma was murdered and that they would never get to spend time with her because of it.

“I hope every morning when you wake up, you feel the pain and guilt you caused my family and that every night, you are haunted by the sick decisions you made when you chose to kill my mother,” Damico said.

Pruett said she would remember the light, love and laughter her mother shared while she was alive – something that even Lewis’ actions could not take from her.

“I will live my life in honor of my mom,” Pruett said.  I will teach my kids to live honorably and love those around them. I will find beauty in each day, knowing my mom’s memory was not stopped by you. Darkness may have seemed to win the day she was brutally murdered by you. But I choose not to let the darkness in.”